Runaway Phantom Hearts

Initially, it’s hesitation and the fear of overstepping boundaries that prevents the two of you from engaging in further forms of physical intimacy. So, contentment arises through the smallest of gestures, which include holding hands and exchanging the shortest and sweetest of kisses in private corners.

Still, it doesn’t help that the lingering sensation of his fingertips on your skin drives you insane. He doesn’t really kiss you elsewhere, at least, not often, but when his soft lips part to press delicate kisses on your wrists, they leave behind marks that are both searing and invisible, known only to yourself.

But, you can tell that he’s waiting for your resolve to waver, and that he wants to see you take the initiative.

It starts out with a short kiss, but this time, when you see him pull away, you reach out for his sleeve and tug him towards you. You can tell that he’s pleasantly surprised, but he lets you deepen the kiss, and when the two of you part for a quick breath, the smirk he throws your way is extremely deadly.

The apology that you’re about to stutter dies on the tip of your tongue, and he furrows his brow, opting to caress your lower lip with his thumb. When he retracts his hand, the look in his grey eyes is decidedly thoughtful.

“Sorry,” is all that you can manage, cursing your lack of self-restraint. “But darling, what do you have to be sorry for?”

Almost immediately after the words part his lips, he moves to kiss you again, and you can only utter a muffled groan of satisfaction. The tips of your fingers find refuge in his unkempt hair, and you tug lightly, succeeding in drawing out a barely audible gasp from him. He responds by positioning his hands on your waist, gently guiding your body to the bed.

There’s a faint blush tinting his cheeks as he pulls away, but he can’t seem to tear his gaze away from your lips. “Sweet,” is what he says, delicately placing his hand on your shoulder. “Do you—“

“Please,” you groan, tugging him closer. “More. Kiss me.”

“Are you sure? Is this what you really want?” He asks, eyebrows quirked to form a look of mischief and intrigue. “Because once I start, love, I don’t think that I’ll be able to stop.”

The tip of your index is partially submerged in a glass of iced water, and the cup of coffee to your right remains noticeably untouched. Though you’ve managed to seat yourself in a booth by a particularly inconspicuous corner, the owner’s occasional glances don’t escape your notice, and you can only heave a sigh of relief when you see him leave.

It’s already past eight, and your suspicions of having been stood up are confirmed. Nevertheless, a smile of quiet acceptance quirks the corners of your lips upward. As you reach for your neglected cup of coffee, you curl the tips of your fingers around the handle and take a hesitant sip.

It’s good, you think, casting a fleeting glance at the multitude of scattered belongings on the table. In a weak attempt at convincing the public that you had only arrived for a ‘business’ meeting, you had haphazardly reached into your bag for anything remotely businesslike. A collection of notebooks and a variety of pens later, the odd looks of the other customers had ceased. Despite this, the owner’s interest in you only seemed to grow.

Requested by @onlytheflowerswillknow~! Thank you so vv much xoxo.

Realistically speaking, you can’t even count the number of times that your teachers have warned you against hanging out with him. “Nothing good will come out of it,” is what they always say, and for once, you can only agree, because it’s been impossible to convince yourself that you aren’t captivated by him.

Initially, since the two of you are in the same class, you communicate with each other through soft smiles, gentle waves and other gestures that remain indiscernible to the rest of the class. Because the other students are far too critical of him, they opt to stay away. 

Needless to say, he’s grateful to forge a friendship with someone like you, and it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that your kindness bears him through. 

When the two of you get together and settle into a routine of dating, word goes around, and it causes an uproar among students and teachers alike. 

No one truly understands how or when the two of you became a thing, because he’s got a criminal record and you’re a seemingly average student. Why he’d taken an interest in you, or why you had taken an interest in him… well, everyone’s baffled and incredulous.

The two of you aren’t physically affectionate in public, and much of his lunch break is spent in the company of other friends. However, when the two of you are seen together, no one dares approach or criticize either of you. It’s only when the air becomes too suffocating to bear, that the two of you go elsewhere. Preferably, the rooftop, or some place else where there’s barely any piercing stares to drive the two of you away. 

Initially, he’s extremely apologetic about his record, especially when he finds out that some of your former ‘friends’ have abandoned you. But you’re quick in reassuring him that you aren’t too bothered by their departure, since you’re glad to have gotten rid of the toxicity in your life. In fact, you actually thank him, because you’re finally able to spend your school days in peace. 

When there’s a lot of homework due, the two of you will meet up at LeBlanc or the local library. He’s a lot smarter than most people believe him to be, and he’s also a quick-learner, which is why he doesn’t hesitate to help you out too. Because of this, the two of you end up finishing earlier than expected. 

In the mornings, the two of you catch the same train, and spend the remainder of the journey walking to school, simply reveling in the presence of each other. Words don’t need to be exchanged, and he reminds you of his love for you through simple gestures that you never fail to appreciate. 

Though he’s wary about it at first, he’ll eventually reveal his true identity to you, mostly because he dislikes keeping secrets from you. Your willingness to accept him is somewhat surprising, but he remembers that this is you, and then, he’s not too surprised anymore. Once that’s done, it doesn’t take long for you to understand the gravity of the situation, and you vow to support his endeavors with every fiber of your being. 

With that being said, seeing the cuts on his body after journeying to the Metaverse, is both worrying and alarming. Though he disregards most of the minor injuries, you grab some bandages and rinse his wounds, because how the heck does he plan on coming to school like this???

“Couldn’t specify earlier, but I meant with a s/o!!!”

After navigating through the Metaverse, it’s inevitable that the two of you will wind up back at LeBlanc. Preferably curled up against each other on his bed.

If he isn’t too tired, he’ll offer to brew some tea or coffee, because, let’s face it, the prospect of drinking something warm and reveling in each other’s company (after nearly being killed) is always welcome.

He doesn’t talk as much as you do, but most of the time, you’ll catch him gazing at you with a gentle smile on his lips and an inexhaustible twinkle in his eyes.

If he senses that you’re upset, or if you voice your concerns aloud, he’ll be quick to reassure you, but not before placing a soft kiss on your forehead.

Sometimes, with the muted thud of raindrops striking the roof, the two of you will exchange slow and languid kisses, while enjoying the quietude of the late night or the early morning.

Though he doesn’t admit this aloud, he enjoys the feeling of your hands combing through his hair. The gesture is intimate and his guarded self is immediately put at ease.